The Magic of Rivendell
by nilmil
Summary: A short vignette with Aragorn and Elrond. Some parts rewritten.


Any feedback is appreciated, including flames. I know that there'll be many mistakes and I need to improve.

Disclaimer: You know the drill. Nothing belongs to me except the idea, and the way in which the vignette is written. Not getting any money.

In the highly unlikely event that someone wants this fic on a website (I'd probably die of shock), please ask me first.

_Ada _father

_Italics _thoughts

The Magic of Rivendell

By NilMil

The young man stood alone on the balcony, watching the morning light begin to shimmer more brightly as the sun rose. He appeared slightly tired, but at peace. Despite how he looked now, he had felt weary not very long ago. When he'd first come up onto the balcony, he had instinctively widened his stance and turned his toes outward to prevent him swaying because of his fatigue.

His sharp grey eyes drank in the scene before him and he began to relax. _There's simply nothing else like being here. _The thought sprang unbidden to his mind. _The sunrise is just beautiful. Everything in Rivendell is so different from any other place that I've seen. _For a fleeting moment he grinned wryly to himself, thinking of what his brothers would say to that last thought. Although the number of places his wanderings and adventures had brought him to was a great deal more than that of the average human, it was all nothing when compared to the travels of Elladan and Elrohir.

His calloused fingertips brushed the side of the once-smooth balcony and he felt the stone, now rough from the weather, graze his hand. He grasped it and felt the cold stone drain warmth from his already cool hand.

The man leaned forward and breathed deeply of the unique scent that defined Rivendell, savouring it. _Even if I should go blind and deaf, I will always know when I am in Rivendell, so long as I have breath. The air of Rivendell is unpleasant to harmful creatures. It is what adds to the serenity in Rivendell. I suppose that it is part of the reason why I always feel secure here at home._ The man mused to himself. His tiredness slowly ebbed away with each breath, evaporating like the mists that he could see in the valley below him.

The elf moved soundlessly to stand next to the man, his light robes floating down to settle around him again after trailing behind him in flight. The air around the man remained still, though, as the elf's approach didn't bring even a whisper of a breeze to announce his presence.

Turning from the view before him, Aragorn smiled a warm greeting to the elf before they embraced each other. "_Ada_, I've missed you." He said.

"I've missed you too, _Estel._" The elf replied in his melodious voice.

"How did you know that I was back?" Aragorn asked Elrond with mild surprise. He had tried so hard to disturb neither anything nor anyone on his return to Rivendell. _You weren't supposed to know that I'm back, let alone find me within a minute of my arrival._

The elf's smile deepened and he finished the question for the man "And how to find you here? Let me ask you how you knew that I was at your side just now."

Aragorn's brow furrowed as he thought. "I hear-," he began, then paused. "Maybe you made even just a tiny little sound?" _Even I don't believe that._

Elrond saw that Aragorn still looked at him, intent on an answer. Elrond laughed, then gave in. "Child, you are elven-raised, and the Lord of the Dúnedan. Hush. Listen," he said when Aragorn shook his head.

Continuing, Elrond said "I know that you don't like your title any more than I relish mine, yet you are the Lord of the Dúnedan and I am the Lord of Imladris. Elrond himself winced when he said "Lord," in much the same way that Aragorn had. "Estel, there is a reason why we came by these … titles. They do not grace many people's names. What we are, we have worked hard to live up to, and these skills do not forsake us at any time. But, as to how I'd known where to find you, we have known each other long and well, do we not, Estel?"

Aragorn nodded his agreement and Elrond could see that he was satisfied with the answer. Not placated for long, the man asked "Are Elladan and Elrohir here?"

"No." Came the reply. _They've just left to go out gallivanting on one of their fool adventures. However you, my son, can stay here and rest instead of trying to catch up with them._ Elrond thought.

After a silence, Aragorn breathed deeply and contentedly closed his eyes as he felt the sun's warm rays on his face. "It is good to be home," he said at last. _If Ada isn't going to tell me now, if ever, where my brothers are, then he must have a good reason. I hope that he doesn't ask me to go rest. Simply being back in Rivendell has refreshed me._ Aragorn thought to himself as they both watched the sun rise higher. He couldn't help the dark half-moons under his eyes, nor could he do anything about his matted hair and muddy skin that attested to his lack of any spare time. Slowly, he lifted his head and straightened his posture hoping that he was being subtle enough about it.

But if Elrond saw the small signs that Aragorn had missed out on sleep, he didn't mention them. He knew that the stubborn man would rest when he decided to, and that he would be alright for now.

The elf looked at Aragorn, who now had a thoughtful expression on his face. "What are you thinking about, Estel?"

Aragorn broke into a wry smile. "It's nothing, really. Just an idle thought." Elrond was still looking at him, so he continued. "I just noticed that there aren't any flies in Rivendell," Aragorn said with a sheepish grin, looking at Elrond's surprised expression. "You asked, _Ada_." He ducked his head as his cheeks started to gain a rosy tint.

Elrond began laughing, after he got over his surprise. "So I did," he managed to reply between chuckles. _Estel. My youngest, adopted, son. Will you never cease to be full of surprises?_ Elrond thought to himself.

Not included:

He held up a slender hand as if asking for silence and intoned solemnly: "Let it be known that I would never hurt even a single fly. _Illuvatar_ bless them.

He looked askance at the man before him, thinking. _Even Elladan and Elrohir, who have both seen much more of the kingdoms of man than you, have not wondered about this detail, as far as I know._

"That is something about which I haven't contemplated since I established Rivendell, a long time ago. At that time, I could not see a reason for their existence, except to be a nuisance. I still don't see why they should be here to plague us. Yes, I know that they are not evil, nor do they harm us. But the Ainur, in all their wisdom, can not have been thinking properly when they created those things … those pests."

Elrond glanced at the shocked and amused face of Aragorn and looked down so that he himself wouldn't laugh. "Ilűvatar forgive me, but as far as I can see, I cannot think why, in all of Arda, they were created. Perhaps they do have a purpose, but the Valar should try living with them. In any case, I merely … dissuade those creatures from this haven." Elrond tried to scowl at the man, but failed and stopped trying to hold back his laughter.

His shoulders still shaking from mirth at the way his father spoke of the creators, Aragorn asked "but why, _Ada_?"

"Did I not just explain, in detail, why?" Elrond asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I meant 'How'" Aragorn said with a touch of impatience. His _Ada_ knew exactly what he'd meant.

"Ah. You ask the question many would gladly give a limb to hear the answer to. The secret, my son, is in the trees and plants. The scent is not only healing and restful, it also keeps those annoying pests away and makes this place what it is." Aragorn looked hopefully at Elrond, and he smiled, answering the unspoken question. "Alright. Yes, I'll teach you what those exact plants are. But mind that you don't tell another soul," he said in a whisper, leading Aragorn indoors with his arm around the man's shoulders. "It's part of the magic of Rivendell."

Fini

A.N. btw I'm not sure about Middle Earth, but in Africa, Tsetse flies bite both animals and humans and transmit sleeping sickness. Not all flies are harmless. I'm going to quote Rhiannon since what she wrote was very good (I hope you don't mind, Rhiannon): "Flies do have their part in the ecosystem... they are part of the set of organisms that help to break down dead matter so it does not remain to plague us with smell and corpses everywhere. Also, they are the food of spiders and birds."

Please, please, please. I beg of you, please review! Just press the review button, or email me at JohnDoe365

I don't care what you say. Like it, hate it, anything. I just want to know what people think. What I can improve on. And, if you liked it, tell me. A one word reply (like/dislike) or a long reply, discussing exactly how irritating flies are or why Elrond/Aragorn is out of character, or anything else you can think of, such as which words should be italicised or not. Just any reply would be great. Thanks.

P.S. Does anyone know the word for 'fly' (as in, insect) in Sindarin?


End file.
